Things To Do in Ollantaytambo

While the climax of the epic Inca Trail is magnificent Machu Picchu, the iconic hike along that ancient Andean road begins at a place no less important: Ollantaytambo.

Though the city, located some 60 km (37 miles) north of Cusco, is truly ancient—the city center probably dates to the 1300s—much of it was razed in the 15th century by Inca Emperor Pachacuti, after he conquered the region. He rebuilt the city’s monuments in perfectly fitted pink granite boulders quarried about 5 km (3 miles) away. The amazing Temple of the Sun still stands, a testimony to the Inca architects’ prowess.